A Hasbrouck Heights resident was one of four people charged last week with filing fraudulent applications for federal relief funds related to Superstorm Sandy, according to the Attorney General’s office.

Since March, the Attorney General’s Office has filed criminal charges against 12 people for allegedly engaging in this type of fraud, including the four individuals charged on July 16.

Magdi Mosaid, 55, of Hasbrouck Heights, was charged with two counts of third-degree attempted theft by deception and one count of fourth-degree unsworn falsification. It is alleged that Mosaid filed two fraudulent applications for Homeowner Resettlement grants funded through U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) and administered by the New Jersey Department of Community Affairs (DCA) in connection with storm-damaged properties in Little Ferry and Rochelle Park. In each case, he allegedly falsely claimed that the house was his primary residence, when in fact it was a rental property that he owned as a landlord. DCA flagged the applications because they reflected multiple primary residences for a single applicant and no funds were paid on the claims. The Department of Community Affairs referred this case to the Division of Criminal Justice.

Acting Attorney General John J. Hoffman said the Attorney General’s Office is continuing to aggressively investigate fraud in Sandy relief programs, working jointly with the DCA, HUD and the Offices of Inspector General of the U.S. Department of Homeland Security and the U.S. Small Business Administration (SBA).

The other three individuals arrested included Mary Conlin, 51, of West Chester, Pa., who was charged with second-degree theft by deception and fourth-degree unsworn falsification, Leonor Canales, 40, of Orlando, Fla., formerly of Elizabeth, who was charged with third-degree theft by deception and fourth-degree unsworn falsification, and Rita O’Connor, 60, of Toms River, who was charged with third-degree theft by deception.

"The circumstances of these new cases vary widely, but all four defendants are alleged to have shamelessly falsified information to drain Sandy relief funds away from legitimate applicants," said Hoffman. "We’re working hard to recover these funds and to stop dishonest applicants from wasting the time and resources of relief administrators who need to focus on helping deserving victims."

The individuals who have been charged are alleged, in most cases, to have filed fraudulent applications for relief funds offered by the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA). In some cases, they also applied for funds from a Sandy relief program funded by HUD or low-interest disaster loans from the SBA.

The eight individuals charged previously were all homeowners who allegedly obtained relief funds by falsely claiming that storm-damaged homes at the Jersey Shore were their primary homes, which is a requirement under the relief programs. In reality, the homes were rental properties or vacation homes.

"With these ongoing prosecutions, we’re delivering a wake-up call to anyone who would consider taking Sandy relief funds through fraud," said Director Elie Honig of the Division of Criminal Justice. "Falsifying these applications is a crime, and anyone who does it will be caught and charged as a criminal. We continue to investigate these cases with our state and federal partners."

The cases filed last week were investigated by detectives of the New Jersey Division of Criminal Justice and special agents of the U.S. Department of Homeland Security Office of Inspector General, HUD Office of Inspector General and SBA Office of Inspector General. Deputy Attorneys General Mark Kurzawa and John A. Nicodemo are prosecuting the defendants. They are working with Lt. David Nolan, Sgt. Fred Weidman and Analyst Alison Callery, who are coordinating and conducting the investigations for the Division of Criminal Justice Financial & Computer Crimes Bureau, along with Detectives Katelyn Sake, Scott Stevens and Eric Ludwick.

"It is unconscionable that fraudsters would attempt to steal much needed RREM and Resettlement grants from eligible applicants who were impacted by Sandy and trying to rebuild their lives," said DCA Commissioner Richard E. Constable III. "Be warned. We will remain vigilant with our partners at HUD and the Attorney General’s Office in pursuit of rooting out anyone who attempts to misuse our Sandy recovery programs."

Second-degree charges carry a sentence of five to 10 years in state prison and a fine of up to $150,000, while third-degree charges carry a sentence of three to five years in prison and a fine of up to $15,000. Fourth-degree charges carry a sentence of up to 18 months in prison and a fine of $10,000.

On Oct. 29, 2012, Superstorm Sandy hit New Jersey, resulting in an unprecedented level of damage. Almost immediately, the affected areas were declared federal disaster areas, making residents eligible for FEMA relief. FEMA grants are provided to repair damaged homes and replace personal property. In addition, rental assistance grants are available for impacted homeowners. FEMA allocates up to $31,000 per applicant for federal disasters. To qualify for FEMA relief, applicants must affirm that the damaged property was their primary residence at the time of the storm.

A Hasbrouck Heights resident was one of four people charged last week with filing fraudulent applications for federal relief funds related to Superstorm Sandy, according to the Attorney General’s office.

Since March, the Attorney General’s Office has filed criminal charges against 12 people for allegedly engaging in this type of fraud, including the four individuals charged on July 16.

Magdi Mosaid, 55, of Hasbrouck Heights, was charged with two counts of third-degree attempted theft by deception and one count of fourth-degree unsworn falsification. It is alleged that Mosaid filed two fraudulent applications for Homeowner Resettlement grants funded through U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) and administered by the New Jersey Department of Community Affairs (DCA) in connection with storm-damaged properties in Little Ferry and Rochelle Park. In each case, he allegedly falsely claimed that the house was his primary residence, when in fact it was a rental property that he owned as a landlord. DCA flagged the applications because they reflected multiple primary residences for a single applicant and no funds were paid on the claims. The Department of Community Affairs referred this case to the Division of Criminal Justice.

Acting Attorney General John J. Hoffman said the Attorney General’s Office is continuing to aggressively investigate fraud in Sandy relief programs, working jointly with the DCA, HUD and the Offices of Inspector General of the U.S. Department of Homeland Security and the U.S. Small Business Administration (SBA).

The other three individuals arrested included Mary Conlin, 51, of West Chester, Pa., who was charged with second-degree theft by deception and fourth-degree unsworn falsification, Leonor Canales, 40, of Orlando, Fla., formerly of Elizabeth, who was charged with third-degree theft by deception and fourth-degree unsworn falsification, and Rita O’Connor, 60, of Toms River, who was charged with third-degree theft by deception.

"The circumstances of these new cases vary widely, but all four defendants are alleged to have shamelessly falsified information to drain Sandy relief funds away from legitimate applicants," said Hoffman. "We’re working hard to recover these funds and to stop dishonest applicants from wasting the time and resources of relief administrators who need to focus on helping deserving victims."

The individuals who have been charged are alleged, in most cases, to have filed fraudulent applications for relief funds offered by the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA). In some cases, they also applied for funds from a Sandy relief program funded by HUD or low-interest disaster loans from the SBA.

The eight individuals charged previously were all homeowners who allegedly obtained relief funds by falsely claiming that storm-damaged homes at the Jersey Shore were their primary homes, which is a requirement under the relief programs. In reality, the homes were rental properties or vacation homes.

"With these ongoing prosecutions, we’re delivering a wake-up call to anyone who would consider taking Sandy relief funds through fraud," said Director Elie Honig of the Division of Criminal Justice. "Falsifying these applications is a crime, and anyone who does it will be caught and charged as a criminal. We continue to investigate these cases with our state and federal partners."

The cases filed last week were investigated by detectives of the New Jersey Division of Criminal Justice and special agents of the U.S. Department of Homeland Security Office of Inspector General, HUD Office of Inspector General and SBA Office of Inspector General. Deputy Attorneys General Mark Kurzawa and John A. Nicodemo are prosecuting the defendants. They are working with Lt. David Nolan, Sgt. Fred Weidman and Analyst Alison Callery, who are coordinating and conducting the investigations for the Division of Criminal Justice Financial & Computer Crimes Bureau, along with Detectives Katelyn Sake, Scott Stevens and Eric Ludwick.

"It is unconscionable that fraudsters would attempt to steal much needed RREM and Resettlement grants from eligible applicants who were impacted by Sandy and trying to rebuild their lives," said DCA Commissioner Richard E. Constable III. "Be warned. We will remain vigilant with our partners at HUD and the Attorney General’s Office in pursuit of rooting out anyone who attempts to misuse our Sandy recovery programs."

Second-degree charges carry a sentence of five to 10 years in state prison and a fine of up to $150,000, while third-degree charges carry a sentence of three to five years in prison and a fine of up to $15,000. Fourth-degree charges carry a sentence of up to 18 months in prison and a fine of $10,000.

On Oct. 29, 2012, Superstorm Sandy hit New Jersey, resulting in an unprecedented level of damage. Almost immediately, the affected areas were declared federal disaster areas, making residents eligible for FEMA relief. FEMA grants are provided to repair damaged homes and replace personal property. In addition, rental assistance grants are available for impacted homeowners. FEMA allocates up to $31,000 per applicant for federal disasters. To qualify for FEMA relief, applicants must affirm that the damaged property was their primary residence at the time of the storm.